The present invention is in the field of interactive on-line communication and has particular application to methods including software for creating and conducting interactive lectures via the Internet or other wide-area network (WAN).
The public information network widely known as the Internet is the largest source of quickly accessible information in the world. Anyone with a computer, appropriate Internet access and interactive software (a browser) can access information on virtually any subject, and interact in many ways with other persons.
In recent years, schools such as high schools, colleges, trade schools and the like have begun offering courses, which are accessible on-line by students operating Internet -capable computers. In some cases one may work toward a degree in almost any field without ever entering a classroom. With the appropriate software program installed on a computer, an individual may have access, generally by password, to server-based material offered by a learning institution including review material, quizzes, tests and so on.
In practice, one must log in to a designated server to gain access to required study material. After study material is provided an interactive test is typically offered. Such a server records interaction by students so that teachers and administrators may review, grade, and otherwise track a student""s progress.
Interactive study services like those described above, while providing an important service, are somewhat limited in scope and application. One problem is that a student must physically log-in to the service and interact with prepared material. This requires that the student remember a password and, in some cases, coded names for his correct course material. Often, the material has pre-set instructions that the student must follow before properly interacting with the offered material. If the instructions are not clear, or if they are followed incorrectly, a student may become frustrated, or have to start over after many interactions. If a student has questions, typically only e-mail is available for contacting the teacher or administrator of the course.
Another problem with the kinds of on-line education offered in the prior art is that teachers must research and prepare the material according to software conventions, which requires knowledge of computer languages. A teacher that cannot prepare the lessons according to required software convention must have a technician prepare the material and make it accessible. There are many complex routines to deal with for both teachers and students.
As described above, the Internet provides access to information on virtually any subject matter. Similarly, there are many educational Web pages that contain information that would relate to fields covered by institutions of higher learning, high schools, or trade schools. Such WEB pages are often public-domain pages and may generally be copied and used for educational purposes without permission from the creator or host of the page. Virtually any subject that is taught in a learning environment may be found on a WEB page on the Internet. In many instances, there is information available from WEB pages that has not been written in any textbook. Such pages may be accessed via one of a variety of known search tools (browsers) that are also freely available to the public.
What is clearly needed is an educational system wherein educational providers may prepare lectures and the like from existing WEB sources and package them for timed execution such that a plurality of students may learn on-line according to a pre-determined schedule, and in some cases in real time. Such an educational system would eliminate the need for complicated program configurations and pass word log-ins, and provide students with a more disciplined and structured on-line education, while at the same time provide educators with a valuable new tool to disseminate ideas.
A service like that contemplated and taught in the present invention, described in enabling detail below, would use the existing technology of Internet server/client communication, which includes multi-WEB casting capability, and abundant educational information already posted on the Internet, making it possible to obtain and prepare material, using editing tools, and package it to be sent to students having computers with Internet access.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention an Internet-enabled subscription teaching service system is provided, comprising an Internet-connected lecture server executing a software suite; one or more teacher-author stations coupled to the Internet-connected lecture server, having input and display apparatus, and including lecture-authoring software; and one or more Internet-capable lecture client stations having lecture-participation software. Teacher-authors using the teacher-author stations prepare lectures through the lecture-authoring software, the lecture server stores prepared lectures and provides lectures on a pre-determined schedule to lecture clients at the lecture client stations, and the lecture clients follow the provided lectures at the lecture client stations through the lecture-participation software.
In preferred embodiments the teacher-author stations are Internet-capable and the lecture-authoring software cooperates with browser software to enable the teacher-authors to search for and browse candidate WEB pages, to enhance and store selected ones of such pages found, to arrange stored product in an order of desired presentation, and to upload a finished lecture to the lecture server for storage and eventual provision of the lecture to the lecture client stations according to the pre-determined schedule. Enhancement may include one or more of masking content, text annotation, attaching audio or video files, or adding graphic elements to the selected page.
In some embodiments the lecture-authoring software further enables the teacher-author to author new pages, and to arrange the new pages in order with the selected WEB pages in creating a lecture. The software may be stand-alone or implemented as a WEB browser plug-in. In preferred embodiments the Internet-connected lecture server stores prepared lectures and parameters for replaying lectures on the Internet, and accesses and replays stored lectures to pre-determined groups of lecture clients according to the stored parameters. In some cases the lecture server further negotiates with lecture clients for participation in lectures, manages assignment of lecture clients with lectures, and alerts clients as to times for individual ones of the stored lectures. Also in some cases the lectures provided by the lecture server to clients require client interaction with the lectures, and the lecture clients interact through the lecture participation software.
In an alternative embodiment lectures require participation by the teacher-author of the lecture, and while a lecture is played, lecture clients are directed to WEB pages in real time, and while viewing pages to which they are directed interact with the teacher author through the lecture-participation and the lecture-server software.
Apparatus, architecture, and methods for practicing the invention are taught in enabling detail below, providing for the first time a system wherein the Internet may be used to manage lectures having any number of simultaneous participants, using information from Internet-connected servers (WEB pages), and allowing participants to interact with the lecture material, or with a lecturer in a real time situation.